Are You Afraid Of Eating Fruit Because Of Its Sugar Content?

Are You Afraid Of Eating Fruit Because Of Its Sugar Content?

During a client session, my client dismissed the health benefits of fruit because, as she put it, “it’s full of sugar”. You won’t be surprised to hear this wasn’t the first time I’d heard this ‘sugar in fruit = bad’ idea.

This thought that fruit is somehow a bad thing to eat came into full swing with the low carb diet craze a few years ago. But the myth persists. Not a week goes by that I don’t hear someone tell me that they avoid fruit because it’s “all sugar” or “loaded with carbs”. So, I’m here to set the record straight and come to the defense of some of the world’s healthiest foods – fresh, whole fruits.

Sugar Content in fruit – what are the facts?

I’ll tackle the “fruit is all sugar” statement first – because it’s just plain wrong. Fresh fruit offers so much more than the natural sugar it contains – including water, vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients (those naturally-occurring plant compounds that have wide ranging beneficial effects on the body). Where else can you get a package like that for about 75 calories per serving?

The idea that fruit is “loaded with carbs” or is “full of sugar” needs to be put into perspective, too. It’s true that when you eat fruit, the overwhelming majority of the calories you consume are supplied by carbohydrate – mostly in the form of fructose, which is the natural sugar in fruit.

But that’s the nature not just of fruit, but of all plant foods – they’re predominantly carbohydrate (and that means not just natural sugars, but healthy starches as well as structural elements, like cellulose, that provide fiber). When you eat vegetables, the majority of the calories you’re eating come from carbohydrate, too. But you don’t hear people complaining that vegetables are “loaded with carbs”.

Before dismissing foods as being loaded with sugar, or too high in carbs, consider not only the amount of sugar or carbs you’re eating, but the form of the carbohydrate, too. There’s a big difference between the nutritional value of the natural carbohydrates found in fruits and other plant foods – the sugars, starches and fibers – and what’s found (or, more accurately, what’s not found) in all the empty calories we eat from added sugars that find their way into everything from brownies to barbecue sauce.

Faced with a serving of fruit, how much sugar are we talking about, anyway? An average orange has only about 12 grams of natural sugar (about 3 teaspoons) and a cup of strawberries has only about 7 grams – that’s less than two teaspoons. And either way, you’re also getting 3 grams of fiber, about a full day’s worth of vitamin C, healthy antioxidants and some folic acid and potassium to boot – and it’ll only cost you about 50 or 60 calories. “All sugar”? I think not.

By contrast, a 20-ounce cola will set you back about 225 calories and, needless to say, won’t be supplying any antioxidants, vitamins, minerals or fiber. You’ll just be chugging down some carbonated water, maybe some artificial color and flavor, and somewhere in the neighborhood of 60 grams of added sugar – about 1/3 of a cup.

Now that’s what I call “full of sugar”.

How Your Body Processes Carbs

Your body favors carbohydrates as a fuel source. When you eat them, enzymes in your digestive system break them down into their simplest possible form: sugar. Complex carbs, sometimes called starches, have complicated molecules that can take some time to break down. Simple carbs, or sugars, are easy to break down, if they need breaking down at all. Either way, the carbs you eat all become sugars called glucose and fructose, at which point they enter your bloodstream. At this point, your pancreas releases the hormone insulin, which does a few things with this blood sugar.

The key to avoiding blood sugar spikes is tempering your carb intake with other foods that slow absorption. Fat and protein help to some degree, but the best way to slow absorption is with fiber, which are carbs so complex that your body can’t digest them, so they slow the digestion of the carbs around them, causing the sugar to enter your blood at a slow drip. This is one reason why high-fiber foods are considered a healthier option. They help you avoid blood sugar spikes.

Fruit, in general, tends to be fiber-rich, making the sugar content irrelevant. For example, an apple has 25 grams of carbohydrates, 19 grams of which are sugar but consider that it also has 4.4 grams of fiber. That’ll slow that sugar down, no problem.

Too Much of a Good Thing

Of course, overeating fruit is possible. Every now and then, I stumble across someone who will eat six bananas or an entire watermelon in a sitting, claiming that this is okay because “fruit is good for me!” But you can’t blame fruit for this kind of common sense lapse. There are all kinds of incredibly healthful foods that can be overeaten, from seeds and nuts to salmon and avocados.

Moderation is the key with any food. For most people, 2–3 servings of fruit per day should do the trick. If you’re highly active, that number might double.

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Ashvini Mashru, MA, RD, LDN is a Registered Dietitian who has 15 years of experience in helping individuals achieve healthy lifestyles.Through her own practice, Wellness Nutrition Concepts, LLC located in Malvern, Pennsylvania and through virtual online sessions for out-of-area clients, Ashvini provides a number of nutrition and wellness consulting services.
Ashvini assists individuals to effectively lose weight, change eating habits permanently, understand their bloodwork and medications for conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, weight loss, etc. and how it aids in establishing a healthy body, gaining more energy, increasing motivation, gaining better sleep and reducing food cravings.
Ashvini assists individuals and their families to discover and learn new ways of eating healthy, new ways of shopping for healthy foods, and how to “makeover” a pantry and refrigerator so it’s organized with healthy foods that meets their lifestyle and nutrition needs. She provides proven step-by-step customized nutrition plans that allows her clients to attain fuller health and feel fabulous.
Ashvini has been published in many publications and writes a monthly column for The Main Line Times. She has also been featured as a guest on various radio programs. She was voted The “Best of Main Line”, Best Dietitian/Nutritionist 2015 by Main Line Times and was a nominee for Philly Health Hero Challenge 2014. Her work is recognized by the State Senator and Representative and was recognized as People on The Move 2015 by Philadelphia Business Journal.
She is also a proud Author of her book Small Steps to Slim. Her book provides busy moms with an almost effortless approach to change their lifestyle that is achievable by even the busiest of women. It breaks the process into simple steps so that they don’t feel overwhelmed or frustrated. And it’s a quick read so they can get started today with the program. For more information and to purchase the book please visit http://tinyurl.com/nh6vf6f
Ashvini holds a Master’s degree in Nutrition from Immaculata University, Immaculata, Pennsylvania and also completed a dietetic internship. She is an accredited member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Dietetic Associations and a member of various dietetic practice groups. She also completed her Certificate of Training in Adult Weight Management from Commission on Dietetic Registration. She is also an ACE- Certified Personal Trainer and a Wellcoaches- Certified Wellcoach and specializes in weight loss and weight management.
If you find yourself struggling and ready to take control of your life and your health, please contact Ashvini at 610-648-6260 or schedule a 30 minute complimentary consultation on her website www.wellnessnutritionconcepts.com or email her at ash@wellnessnutritionconcepts.com. Check out her Nutrition Tip video: https://vimeo.com/112353786 and her Client Testimonial video: http://youtu.be/bK0idJSZjcw